Michigan

Nanobama: Politics at the nano-level

AP File PhotoU-M mechanical engineer, John Hart, creates portraits of Barack Obama like this, but at the nanoscale.

These are political ads that can literally get under your skin. U-M engineer John Hart has designed nano portraits of then presidential nominee, Barack Obama.

November 04, 2008: Wired: Sculpted using nanolithography by University of Michigan mechanical engineer, John Hart, each Obama face is composed of 150 million carbon nanotubes and measures half a millimeter across.

This was just an experiment to see what could be done with the technology, but Hart's focus is to create efficient machines out of these nanomaterials.

When he and the rest of the nation don't have election fever, the focus of Hart's more serious research is finding ways to use nanomaterials to build useful electronics.

"The nanotubes themselves are perhaps the strongest molecule known to man, and also have fantastic electrical and thermal properties," Hart said. "However, effective methods of organizing large numbers of nanotubes are needed to realize many unique commercial applications."